NYISO: Transmission security margins sufficient for the state, but NYC faces reliability risks

“Potential heatwaves of various degrees pose risks throughout the next 10 years, especially in 2025,” NYISO said.

By Stephen Singer • April 17, 2023

Chinese supply chains for critical infrastructure threaten the US power grid

State and federal policymakers, utilities and other stakeholders must develop and implement effective strategies to secure supply chains while minimizing the financial impact on ratepayers.

By Brien J. Sheahan • April 14, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Electricity Supply and Demand

After nearly two decades of flat demand, U.S. electricity consumption reached an all-time high in 2024 and is expected to continue rising. This trendline brings together the best of Utility Dive’s coverage of emerging trends in supply and demand and the decisions being made today that will impact the power system for years to come. 

By Utility Dive staff

US grid congestion costs soared to $13.3B in 2021, will likely grow until transmission capacity is built: report

Consumers and states should press for relatively inexpensive grid-enhancing technologies and other transmission investments to address “high and rising” congestion costs, said Grid Strategies President Rob Gramlich.

By Ethan Howland • April 14, 2023

Grid connections will remain a huge challenge for clean energy if FERC fails to meet this moment

To promote competition, interconnection reforms need standard processes and rules that leave little room for interpretation or discretion.

By Sean Gallagher • April 13, 2023

BLM clears way for $3B TransWest Express transmission project to start construction this year

The 732-mile project is designed to deliver 3,000 MW of wind generation from Wyoming to California and the Southwest.

By Ethan Howland • April 12, 2023

US grid interconnection backlog jumps 40%, with wait times expected to grow as IRA spurs more renewables

The good news, experts say, is there has been movement on short- and long-term solutions to interconnection backlogs.

By Emma Penrod • April 11, 2023

California’s grid operator calls for $9.3B in transmission investments over next decade

The state’s forecasted electricity needs have been rapidly increasing, accelerating the pace at which new transmission infrastructure needs to be developed.

By Kavya Balaraman • April 6, 2023

More than 2 dozen utilities, power groups back Southwest Power Pool’s Markets+ initiative

Signing on to the initial development phase, which includes establishing an independent governance structure, does not necessarily mean entities will participate in the market.

By Robert Walton • April 5, 2023

Texas regulators should consider a combination of metrics to establish reliability standard, stakeholders urge

Development of a grid reliability standard should “not be confined to a narrow set of traditional standards,” the Electric Reliability Council of Texas said.

By Robert Walton • April 4, 2023

DOE study highlights America’s transmission needs, but how do we accelerate buildout?

By providing FERC the authority to allocate costs to states according to benefits, Congress can help transmission lines avoid one of the most significant sources of delay.

By Michelle Solomon • March 31, 2023

Utilities: Improved transformer efficiency is important, but goal could threaten grid reliability

The Biden administration has proposed stricter energy efficiency standards for distribution transformers, but utilities face shortages of the grid components and say new rules could worsen the situation.

By Robert Walton • March 30, 2023

As California grid interconnection requests triple, analysts assess CAISO’s moves to handle the influx

The state’s current interconnection processes were designed around a cadence that won’t work as it moves towards much larger volumes of clean energy generation, experts say. 

By Kavya Balaraman • March 30, 2023

PG&E, SCE detail plans to spend more than $23B through 2025 to prevent wildfires in their footprints

The utilities plan to focus on installing more resilient infrastructure and transferring power lines underground, among other measures. 

By Kavya Balaraman • March 28, 2023

Iowa high court sides with LS Power, freezes transmission right-of-first-refusal law for incumbent utilities

The court decision on Friday affects $2.6 billion in pending transmission projects slated to be built by ITC Midwest, MidAmerican Energy and Cedar Falls Utilities.

By Ethan Howland • March 27, 2023

Keeping the lights on down under: Energy lessons from Australia

In November 2022, a group of U.S. utility executives joined the Smart Electric Power Alliance on a fact-finding mission to understand the impact of the clean energy transition on Australia’s electricity markets.

By Cristin Lyons, Partner and Energy Practice Leader and Kevin Hernandez, Partner, ScottMadden • March 27, 2023

Strategies to improve business customer satisfaction for utilities

Utilities ranked highest in business customer satisfaction share formulas for meeting C&I and SMB customer needs.

March 27, 2023

DOE cyber chief gets bipartisan grilling as senators question US reliance on China for grid equipment

U.S. lawmakers on Thursday pressed the head of DOE’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response Preparedness for details about foreign-manufactured components but got few answers.

By Robert Walton • March 24, 2023

Not ‘sick or dying or dead’: The great benefit of RTOs

To argue that some regional transmission organizations have imperfections is somewhat akin to saying, “nobody is perfect.”

By Scott Miller • March 23, 2023

FERC approves incentives for NV Energy’s $2.5B Greenlink project despite ratepayer concerns

“If the commission determines it is appropriate to channel risks to consumers, those risks must be carefully weighed and considered,” FERC Commissioner Mark Christie said.

By Ethan Howland • March 23, 2023

FERC approves canceling NextEra transmission project blocked by Texas right-of-first-refusal law

The agency rejected NextEra Energy’s argument the $129 million project should be kept alive because litigation over the law is ongoing.

By Ethan Howland • March 21, 2023

Transmission link between Puerto Rico, US mainland wouldn’t trigger FERC jurisdiction, agency declares

The clarification issued Friday could affect Alternative Transmission’s proposed undersea cable project that aims to bolster Puerto Rico’s grid.

By Ethan Howland • March 20, 2023

FERC works ‘feverishly’ on transmission reform, with near-term focus on interconnection rule

“Transmission reform addresses all of the major priorities that I've set out for this commission: reliability, affordability and sustainability,” Acting FERC Chairman Willie Phillips said Thursday.

By Ethan Howland • March 17, 2023

Treasury Department guidance urgently needed to tap IRA’s clean energy ‘gold mine,’ analysts say

Clarifications defining Inflation Reduction Act provisions on labor, domestic content, energy community, and clean hydrogen are urgently needed to put the “boldest action” by Congress to work, they say.

By Herman K. Trabish • March 16, 2023

Texas regulators to set Oncor return on equity at 9.7%, maintain capital structure in pending rate decision

The decision reflects a challenging business environment and Oncor’s work to minimize customer outages — though it also factors in lagging interconnection times, regulators said.

By Robert Walton • March 15, 2023

Confidential PJM meetings hinder state energy policy, oversight: West Virginia PSC, Maryland lawmaker

Efforts are underway to increase transparency at the largest U.S. grid operator, with Exelon and FirstEnergy opposing a bill to require annual voting reports of PJM meetings.

By Ethan Howland • March 14, 2023